Student teachers’ decision-making skills in relation to lesson planning: The impact of a practicum

This article reports the findings of a study that investigated student teachers’ decision-making skills when deciding to depart from their lesson plan during their practicum. In an attempt to detect the impact of teaching practice on student teachers’ decision-making skills, a questionnaire was administered prior to the course, inquiring about their potential course of action in relation to changes implemented in their lesson planning but also probed into the same issues at the end of their teaching practice. The findings indicate that student teachers diverted from their lesson plans when the situations called for such changes, and that the actual teaching impinged upon their decision-making skills

Investigating the impact of learning conditions on young learners’ attitudes and motivation to learn English as a foreign language

This paper investigates young learners’ attitudes towards learning English as a foreign language (EFL) under different learning conditions. It reports on the findings of a quantitative study conducted between two comparable groups of Greek young learners (N=88), following English instruction, while attending Grade 6 in two primary schools with quite distinct approaches to teaching English. The data was collected with the help of a questionnaire, which explored the learners’ attitudes towards the English language and learning English as well as their motivation to learn English. The results illustrate clearly that favourable learning conditions can spur learners’ positive disposition towards the process of language learning at school

Differentiated instruction in the EFL classroom: Discrepancies between teachers’ self-report questionnaires and actual practices

This paper aims at examining the classroom implementation of differentiated instruction (DI) in the Greek state primary school. Data were collected via a self-report questionnaire and classroom observations. The questionnaire was completed by 149 teachers of English. Ten teachers were also observed during their actual classroom teaching practices. The findings indicate that, despite the participants’ positive attitude towards DI, the Greek primary classroom remains a teacher-centered learning environment. Moreover, the participants’ observed use of DI strategies (e.g. group-driven activities) was less frequent than their reported use. This could be attributed to teachers’ misconceptions of what DI entails for classroom implementation, as well as to classroom contingencies

Teacher roles and learners’ motivation – a preliminary investigation of Greek state-school EFL teachers’ viewpoints

It is well known from recent studies that teachers’ perceptions of their professional roles have a great impact on the learning and achievement of their students. The close relationship between teachers’ perceptions of their professional profile and their appreciation of their learners’ motivation characteristics is the subject of this study which refers to the Greek ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) domain. By looking at teachers’ perspectives regarding the impact that their teaching has on their own students’ learning and achievement, we draw parallels between the teachers’ views of themselves as pedagogues and professionals, the wider EFL (English as a Foreign Language) situation in Greek state schools and the status and function of the English language in Greece in the 21st century

Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics 3

In the three volumes of Major Trends in Theoretical and Applied Linguistics, the editors guide the reader through a well-selected compendium of works, presenting a fresh look at contemporary linguistics. Specialists will find chapters that contribute to their fields of interest, and the three-volume collection will provide useful reading for anyone interested in linguistics. The first volume explores theoretical issues dealing with phonetics-phonology and syntax-semantics-morphology. Volume two is organized into three main sections that examine interdisciplinary linguistics: discourse analysis, gender and lexicography; language acquisition, and language disorders. Finally, volume three focuses on applied linguistics - both language teaching/ learning and education

A Systematic Review of Voice-based Intelligent Virtual Agents in EFL Education

Since its debut in the field of education nearly three decades ago, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been considered as a powerful tool to facilitate new paradigms for instructional design and innovative educational practice in the form of intelligent tutoring systems, chatbots, teaching robots and adaptive learning systems among others. Recent technological advances in the adjacent areas of natural language processing, machine learning and computer graphics focusing primarily on design features that can improve their human-like qualities of naturalness and believability as human interlocutors have also amplified new application opportunities for Intelligent Virtual Agents (IVAs) or Animated Pedagogical Agents (APAs) within the area of Intelligent Computer-Assisted Language Learning (ICALL). Although AI-powered IVAs hold the potential to enhance the learning process in nearly any knowledge domain and personalize automation in teaching by embodying different roles in the learning environment, strikingly few studies have empirically attempted to assess IVAs impact on L2 learners’ academic achievement when learning English as a Foreign (EFL) so far. This study addresses this issue via a systematic review of relevant interventionist IVA studies that were conducted in EFL settings and published within the 2015-2020 timeframe examining IVAs key affordances, major barriers in their adoption for language learning purposes, and the CALL research trends currently prevalent on the topic. Pedagogical implications for the effective implementation of IVA technology in L2 contexts are discussed and future research avenues in the area are highlighted

Unravelling the relation between motivation and the implementation of learning strategies in foreign language learning

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the relation between motivation and learning strategy use and delve into the relation between motivation and learning strategy factors that affect English language attainment in different levels of education. Data was collected via a questionnaire in a sample of 380 primary and 482 lower secondary learners of English in Greek state schools, followed by 24 semi-structured interviews for the qualitative phase of the study. Findings reveal higher motivation and learning strategy scores for primary than lower secondary school learners. Moreover, the strong correlation between motivation and learning strategy use for both levels of education suggests particular implications for curriculum designers and teachers

Motivation-Related Issues to Learn Different Languages in an Intercultural School

Abstract and full text of the articles are freely available on www.degruyter.com (De Gruyter Open)

Teaching English as an International Language: In search of a new methodology?

As part of a global community, the status of the English language has been redefined and educators are called to re-examine the principles that guide foreign language teaching methodology. Having experienced a number of tran­sitions in language teaching (ELT) methodology, English language studies have entered the post-method period. In view of the demands of teaching English as an International Language (EIL), the aim of this paper is to challenge the appli­cation of a single methodology to multiple contexts and to consider the princi­ples of instructional design that seem to underlie effective education

Considerations for Evaluating Junior EFL Coursebooks: From Theory to Practice

This paper looks into the various aspects that need to be considered for the evaluation of EFL coursebooks for young learners in the early stages of their learning. An attempt will be made to establish certain issues that should be accounted for by the language teacher when opting for a suitable coursebook. At the same time, we will look at three recently published coursebooks available in the market, examining the way in which and the degree to which these criteria are met.While trying to explore the type of activities that would be appropriate for young learners, we will discuss considerations, such as the particular cognitive characteristics and needs of these learners, the study skills that make them autonomous, and the development of their language awareness. In addition, we will look into the importance of interactive communication through problem-solving tasks and information-gap activities, group- and pair-work, games and songs. Reference will be made to the kind of activities incorporated in certain coursebooks and the way these coursebooks cater for the considerations set in order to provide guidance to the teacher who is faced with a plethora of materials available